Lifting device for automobiles



July 27 1926 N. M. JQHNSGN LIFTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 17 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1 N VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

July 27 1926. 1,593,830

. N. M. JOHNSON LIFTiNG DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 17, 1924 s Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

- ATTORNEY.

July 27 1926. 1,593,830

N. M. JQHNSON LIFTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 1'7 ,-1924 5 Sheets-$het 5 1 N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented J l 27, 1926. i-

NOBLE MEABLE JOHNSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

l LIF'IING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed May 17,

My invention relates to improvements in lifting devices for automobiles, and more particularly to that type of device supplied with parallel ramps which can either be I inclined at varying angles or moved into a substantially horizontal position.

In one of the applications of my invention the lifting device consists in part in the provision of ramps which may be in- 10 clined at such an angle that their lower ends rest on the ground. so that an automobile may be driven thereon, and as the said ramps are revolvably mounted they may then be rotated about a horizontal axis into another inclined or a horizontal position, thereby raising the ear.

Another application of my invention consists in mounting my device on a platform or flooring so that the revolvably mounted 20 ramps, and particularly the rear ends thereof may be used for such purposesas lifting the front end of a disabled automobile.

My invention consists in certain novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described with the aid of the accompanying drawings and claimed:

Figure 1 llustrates a side elevation of my device with the. ramps in raised'position.

Figure 2 shows a similar view but with the ramps inclined at an angle so that their lower ends rest on the ground.

Figure 3 is an end elevation with the ramps inclined as in Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows a partial side elevation, and i Figure 5 a section on the line 5'5 of Figure 3. 3

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are details.

Figure 9 shows aside elevation of my device when mounted on a flooring, and

Figure 10 is a'detail.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l designates the ramps which are substantially parallel with one another, and are held in alignment by tie plates as indicated at 2. In the form of construction shown in Figures 1, 2 and 8 said ramps 1 are so spaced that each ramp is adapted to receive the wheels on one side of an automobile. On the outer face of the ramps 1, I usually at tach distance pieces 63 to support guard rails 62.

I will now proceed to describe in detail the method in which the ramps 1 are ro tatably mounted, and held positively at all its 1924:. Serial No. 714,179.

angles. As the means I adopted is identical in the 0: se of each ramp I will describe the means used on one side only.

'iowards the forward end of the ramp .i, which in the drawings is shown of channel section, and on its underside, I attach angle plates 3. The latter are so disposed that their downward flanges bear against the inner sides of the brace i.- when the latter consists of channel iron, in which case I cut away the web from the front portion of the channel as indicated at 5 in Figure 7. Through the forward end of the angle plates 3 I arrange pins 6 to carry the loop 7 of the cable 8 which I prefer to maintain in alignment with the drum 9 by means of a spacer 10. The brace l at its other end I attach to the fulcrum plates 11 "between which it terminates. The said fulcrum plates 11 are revolvably mounted on a pin 12 supported in the outer and inner frames 13 and 14:, the spacers l5 and 16 are'used to hold the said fulcrum plates 11 in position.

Similarly towards the rear end of the ramp 1 I attach angle plates 17 which support a pin 18, to hold one end of the cable 19, the other end of which is adaptedto wind round the drum 21. The rear brace 20 is also secured to the angle plates 17, and terminates at its other end between the fulcrum plates 11, to both of which it attached.

The drums 9 and 21 shown in the accompanying drawings are made in one piece, they may however consist of two separate drums if desired. The said drums are mounted on a shaft 22 which extends across the whole width of my device, and is supported as by bearings and 31 secured to the outer frames 13.

The cables 8 and 19 are arranged on their respective drums 9 and 21, so that as the shaft 22 rotates the cable8 will be wound up on the drum 9 and the cable 19 unwound'oii' the drum 2 1, or vice versa' Owing to the fact that the angularity of the ramps 1 is materially changed by a slightrotation of the drums 9 and 21 round which the cables 8 and 19 are wound or unwound, secure means of attaching each cable to its drum must be employed. This may be accomplished as shown in Figure 6 by drilling a hole 23 through the drum 9, passing the cable 8 through the said hole, and forming a knot 24. In order to maintain an even tension on the cables turnbuckles may be employed as shown in Figure 8. The usual arrangement is to supply a turnbuckle on one of the forward and one of the rear cables 9 and 21. The turnbuckle 25 is provided with hooks 26 and 27, to receive the ends of the cable 19, and the said hooks have shanks 28 and 29 with right and left hand threads which screw into the ends of the said turnbuckle. In this way adjustmentcan easily be made if one of the cables stretches.

The regulation of the angularity of the ramps 1 is controlled by the rotation of the shaft 22, which is operated from one side only of my device.

A horizontal shaft 32, held in position by collars and 36, is mounted in bearings 83 and 34 secured to one of the outer and inner frames 13 and 14. On the shaft 32 I supply a bevel gear 37 and at its outer end a handwheel 38. The gear 37 meshes with a gear 39 mounted on a vertical shaft 40, which is supported as by the bearings 41 and 42 attached to one of the outer frames 13. Towards the lower end of the shaft is a worm 43, which engages the worm wheel 44 arranged towards one end of the shaft 22.

In the construction shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the inner and outer frames 13 and 14 consist of three horizontal plates 45, 46, 47, and 48, 49 and 50 held in spaced relation to one another by means of vertical plates as indicated at 51, 52 and 53, the fourth vertical plate not being shown. The lower plates 45 and 48 are supported by angle irons 54, 55, 56 and 57 to form a bearing surface on the ground. When this form of frame construction is used I cut away a portion of the angle iron 54 to provide space for the bearing 42. Any other suitable form of frame however may be employed.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10, the device shown therein is similar in construction to that already described except that the rear ends of the ramps 1. are provided with gripping means such as the hooks 65, and the lower plates 45 are provided with rollers 58 adapted to travel along runways 59 which may be formed out of angle iron secured to the flooring 60. In order to prevent the device moving on the rollers 58, when in use, holes 61 are supplied through which pins 64 may be placed, said pins extending laterally across the path of the lower plates 45. It will also be noted that the lower inner side plates 48 terminate clear of the flooring 60. and have no angle supports as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

Referring now to the method of operation of my device, the distance from the shaft 22 to the pins 6 and 18 varies ac-- cording to the angularity of the ramps 1. which swing about the pins 12. Then the handwheel. 38 is revolved it rotates the shaf 22, and drums 9 and 21. through the bevel gears 37 and 39, worm 43 and worm-wheel 44 As the drums 9 and 21 revolve they either wind up the cable 8 and unwind the cable 19, or vice versa, and thereby cause the ramps 1 to rotate about the pins 12. i

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised a lifting device for automobiles which is positive in action, and in which both the ramps are securely held from points towards each of their ends at all times.

It is further understood that I may make any alterations and modifications in my invention provided said alterations and modifications fall within the scope of what I claim.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is:

In a lifting device, for automobiles, the combination of two parallel ramps, a support under each of said ramps which latter are independently pivotally mounted in said supports, a plate attached forwardly and a second plate attached rearwardly to each ramp, a separate fulcrum pin in each support, a fulcrum plate on each fulcrum pin, rigid members from each forward and rearward plate fastened to said fulcrum plates, a transverse shaft through both of said supports and revolvably supported thereby, two drums fixed on each shaft under each support, a cable from each forward and each rearward plate having one end attached to said plate and its opposite end to and wound around one of said drums, said cables being so wound that one under each support winds its cable as the other drums unwind their cables, and means for turning said transverse shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature at Majestic Building, Detroit, Michi- 'gan.

NOBLE -MEARLE JOHNSON.

Hit! 

